Page 53 of Forbidden Bastard
She latched her arm through his like she needed to hold him tight. “Can you help me find my way out? It got so dark because of the storm.”
He patted her hand and looked around the green hedges. It would be faster if they finished the maze so he directed her forward rather than back. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
She pressed her fingers into his bicep and said, “It’s the opposite. Charles, I was stupid. I was wrong. I should have realized something and told you right away.”
He held the umbrella over her not minding that he got a little wet. Her serious tone suggested she was about to say something important. “What was that?”
Lightning and thunder rumbled back to back, the light and sound bouncing off the ocean. She stared ahead and said, “Not here. I’ve been stupid and listening to my panic instead of my heart.”
A moment later he had her out. Luckily for her, he never forgot where to go once shown, even in the dark. It was a side-effect of being left behind and unwanted, to always remember the way.
He led her toward the side door of his house and held it for her. “Well, here we are.”
He closed the door and handed her a towel Bernard had left for her, but she pressed her body against his and said, “Charles, I don’t want to go to my parents.”
The storm was bad. He wouldn't send her away. He’d let her have any bed she wanted. "You can stay here, as long as you desire." They each shrugged out of their rain coats and he set the umbrella against the wall to dry, then he motioned for them to leave the doorway.
She walked with him. “How about forever?”
Forever? He quickly directed her toward the main room of the house with the central staircase. “That’s a problem, as I won’t own the place much longer.”
Sandi stepped in front of him to stop him, her hands against his chest. “Charles, I don’t want the house.”
Water dripped off both of them as they stood in the hall. He felt guilty that the servants would have to clean up his mess. “It’s okay. It’s just a pile of bricks.”
She brushed her fingers across his scruffy jaw. “Beautiful bricks that belong to you.”
Charles wouldn't marry anyone else. The idea of bringing another woman here made him sick to his stomach so he avoided her gaze and said, “That mean nothing without you.”
She caressed his cheek until he glanced at her. “Then let’s both stay, forever.”
A dam near his heart broke inside him. He would never be able to deny the power she had over him. He hugged her waist. “Then we’re both doomed, but I’ll do whatever you want.”
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I want us to trust each other, as a team.”
"I want the same thing.” Every part of him was alive and ached to possess her. The barbarian part of his brain hoped if he showed her how much he cared, she’d never have the strength to leave him.
Charles scooped her up in his arms and cradled her to his chest as he carried her up the stairs and to their bed.
Chapter 17
Sandi's skin was on fire as Charles carried her to their bedroom. He set her down. The golden bed and gold and white embossed walls with the white sheets and blue blankets were the same as they’d been since she'd arrived.
Her heart thundered. She loved him.
Somehow she needed to ignore how every cell in her body wanted to rip his clothes off and taste his skin.
Right now she needed to get a grip on her desire to be physical because she hadn’t explained anything to him yet.
So when he leaned forward to kiss her, she placed her hands on his rock-hard muscular chest and said, “Charles. Wait.”
“I’ll leave you to a warm shower.” He backed up fast as if he'd made a mistake.
She took a step, ready to chase him if he left this room. “No. I mean… a shower sounds good as I’m cold… but I want to talk to you.”
He massaged the back of his head. “Now?”
She nodded. “I wanted to talk inside and in a warmer place. Your halls have too many servants.”
